On April 2, 2014, Los Angeles City Councilmen Joe Buscaino, left, and Mitch Englander speak at the first public meeting for Save Our Streets LA, a proposal to fix streets and sidewalks throughout Los Angeles. (Photo by John McCoy/Los Angeles Daily News)

On April 2, 2014, members of the public listen to Los Angeles City Councilmen Joe Buscaino and Mitch Englander discuss Save Our Streets LA, a proposal to fix failed streets and sidewalks throughout Los Angeles. (Photo by John McCoy/Los Angeles Daily News)

A proposal to raise Los Angeles’ sales tax to pay for road and sidewalk repairs received its first public hearing Wednesday night, as city officials gingerly laid out a $4.5 billion plan before a gathering of neighborhood leaders.

About 50 people attended a City Hall hearing on the measure, which would raise the L.A.’s sales tax to 9.5 percent if endorsed by the City Council and approved by voters in November.

Armed with a PowerPoint display, the city detailed why federal dollars are unavailable to help fix L.A.’s worst streets and sidewalks and how the additional funds raised would be used. At least 8,700 lane miles of street would be repaired under the proposal, officials said.

“This is a shared responsibility — this isn’t just about taxing the working folks,” City Councilman Joe Buscaino told the group.

“Everyone uses our streets and sidewalks,” he added. “Not just a select few.”

Neither Buscaino nor Councilman Mitch Englander — who together have launched the effort to fix the roadways — have fully endorsed the tax hike, which comes as voters shot down a similar tax increase in May. Mayor Eric Garcetti has also declined to take a firm position as yet.

Last month, City Administrative Officer Miguel Santana issued a report recommending the increase. At Wednesday’s hearing, he queried the audience: “Why can’t we use existing revenue to address this need? The reason we think this is critical is that the city barely has enough revenue to do the resurfacing that we are engaged in.”

Board of Public Works President Kevin James also endorsed the plan at the meeting.

The proposal comes as county transportation officials weigh asking voters to approve a sales-tax hike to fund rail and highway improvements in about two years. If both the road repair plan and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s measure are approved, L.A.’s sales tax would rise to 10 percent.

Asked by a member of Move L.A., a transit advocacy group, about the competing interests, Santana replied that it “would not be appropriate if the city took a backseat role” to the MTA’s tax plan.

Nina Royal, a member of the Sunland-Tujunga Neighborhood Council, left concerned about the sidewalk portion, saying that “some rural communities don’t want sidewalks.”

One group from Windsor Village, a midcity neighborhood off Wilshire Boulevard, appeared more amenable to the roadway tax. “I’m leaning toward supporting it,” said Joe Hoffman, vice president of the Windsor Village Association, who called the tax fair because everyone would pay their portion — it’s “equitable.”